Clipper



l M l 0 E. S. HOTCHKISS.

eLlPPEn (Application led May 2, 1898.)

(No Model.)

' Wlllll-l /0 Nrrinn STATES A' vPATENT rrrcn.

EDWARD S. IIOTCHKISS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

CLIPPER.

SPECIFICATN forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,673, dated March 21, 1899.

l' Application filed May 2, 1898. Serial No. (579445' (N0 model-3 To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be itknown that I, EDWARD S. HOTOHKISS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovemen ts in Clippers, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part f the same.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of clipper,

, and especially to provide an improved toilet hereinafter referred to.

hair-clipper which shall be simple in construction while easy and eflicient in operation and so arranged lthat the clipper may readily be assembled and disassembled for renewal of parts or other purposes.

The invention relates particularly to the construction and arrangement of the operating-handles and actuating-spring and `to an improved ball-bearing for securing the desired ease of movement and includes also an improved guard-plate construction and varions specific features of construction and combinations of parts in a clipper, all of which will be fullydescribed hereinafter and speciiically pointed out in the claims.

As a full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of a construction embodying the same, such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing a toilet hair-clipper embodying all the features of the invention in the preferred form and a modified construction, in which- Figure l is a plan view of the clipper in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a rear edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same. Fig. 4 is'a section on the line 4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7is a top plan view of the guard-plate detached from the clipper. Fig. 8 is a detail section Fig. 9 is a partial horizontal section similar to Fig. 4, showing a modified construction of the handles and operating-spring. Fig. l0 is a section of this modification on the line 10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11

is a bottom plan view of the-frictiongnut shown in Fig. l0.

Referring now particularly to the construction shown in Figs. l to 8, A is the bottom or.

stationary comb-plate. B is the top or movable comb-plate. C is thestationaryhandle carrying the housing or cap D, E the movable handle, and F the detachable guard-plate. The housing D upon the stationary handle C bears upon the top of the stationary plate A by the rear foot or downward projection 10 and upon the movable plate B by the ballbearing presently to be described, and this housing -is provided with a depending sleeve 11, which is encircled by and forms the bearing for the sleeve 12 on the movable handle E,

-this sleeve 12 having the usualprojecting arm I3 engaging the movable comb-plate B in the slot l, so as to actuate the latter by the movable handle. The sleeve ll is preferably formed with a shoulder 4, against which the sleeve 12 abuts. The outside diameter of 'the sleeve l1 above the shoulder 4 is preferably equal to that of the sleeve l2. The sleeve 12 is provided with a shoulder 2, and upon this shoulder is seated the operating-spring CL, which is coiled about the sleeves 12 and 11, and this spring a has one of its ends secured to the movable handle, as by entering an opening therein, as shown in Fig. 4, and its other end is bent downward and outward, so as to project from under the rear side ofthe housing D, the edge of the housing being provided spring moving to the left on the lower surface of the wall of the housing, so that the handles and spring may readily be disassembled, as the spring is not under tension. In assembling the handles and .spring the tension is put upon the spring after the handles are assembled by forcing the end of the spring to the right until it catches in the notch 3, so that the handles are assembled com plete and under tension when'separate from the plate A.

I preferably secure the two handles C and E together independently of their connection with the stationary plate, so that after the handles are assembled with the spring a single complete construction with novloose parts or risk of accidental separation is provided, which single construction is then completed by the addition of the movable and station- IOO ary comb-plates. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 8 a screw b is projected through the sleeve 12 of the movable handle E and enters a groove :r in the sleeve 1l, which groove is made of such length as. to permit the operating movement of the movable handle C. The two handles, with the spring inclosed between the movable handleand the housing D, are held against separation when the screw Z) is forced in, as shown in Fig. 8, while by withdrawing this screw b from the groove o@ in the sleeve 11 the movable handle and spring may readily be removed downward from the sleeve 11 on the housing D when the stationary comb-plate A is removed. It will be understood that this feature of securing the handles together when assembled with the spring is not essential, although very convenient and forming a specitic feature of the invention. Any other suitable means may be used for securing this result. A screw construction is preferably used, however. After the handles and the housing D have been assembled and secured together, as described, if such securing means are employed the movable comb-plate B and the stationary comb-plate A are added and the handles secured thereto by placing the movable comb-plate in position, with the guidepins 1et on the housing passing through the guide-slots in the movable comb-plate, as usual in such constructions and as shown in Fig. 4, and into openings in the stationary comb-plate for the purpose of relatively positionin g the housing and the stationary combplate and with the arm 13 on the movable handle entering the slot 1. The pressurebolt c is then passed upward through the stationary plate and sleeve 11 and the parts secured together with the desired pressure of the front edge of the housing, which forms the pressure-plate of the clipper, upon the movable comb-plate B by the pressure-nut d, screwed upon the upper end of the pressurebolt c, so as to bear upon the top of the housing D, a spring-washer 5 preferably being interposed between the nut d and the housing D, so as to secure a yielding pressure upon the movable comb-plate B, as usual in such constructions.

It will be understood that with the construction thus far described the front edge of the housing D, which forms a pressure-plate, may bear directly upon the top of thev combplate B, or `an y suitable construction of bearing-plate or antifriction devices may be employed; but I preferably use the improved ball-bearing construction shown, which in itself forms a part of the invention and may be used with clippers of other construction and whether the pressure on the movable comb-plate is secured by a cap separate from the other parts of the clipper .or forming a part of the stationary handle, as shown. In this improved ball-bearing construction the pressure-plate formed by the edge of the housing D is of suflicient thickness to form runways for antifriction-balls and is milled out or bored in any suitable manner, being preferably, as shown, bored inward from the opposite ends a suficient distance to form the channels or runways 15, in which are placed anti friction-balls e. For the purpose of holding the balls in said runways suitably, while permitting the transmission of the pressure upon the housing to the movable comb-plate B through these balls, I employ a plate 16, which forms the bottom of the runways 15 and is provided with slots of sufficient Width to allow the balls to project through the under side of the plate, but too narrow to permit the balls to pass through the slots, so that the balls are held in the runways 15, but projecting below the plate 16. The plate 16 is a spring-plate and may be secured to the housing in any suitable manner, being shown as secured to the central part of the housing by screws, and is preferably formed and secured so that its ends are under spring-tension upward, the ends thus being disconnected from the block but firmly held by the upward spring-pressure of the plate. The ends of the plate may thus be bent down to permit balls to be inserted or removed from the ends of the channels without detaching the plate 16. The plate 16 also is preferably turned up at its opposite ends, so as to close the ends of the runways 15, as shown; but the balls may be held in the channels only by the ends of the slots in the plate 16. The balls e may rest directly upon the upper side of the movable comb-plate B, the latter being formed in any suitable manner so as to secure durability; but I preferably use a removable bearing-plate f between the balls and the combplate B, so that in case of wearthis bearingplate may readily be removed and another plate substituted. The bearingplate f is shown as secured to the movable comb-plate B, so as to move therewith, by pins 6 on the under side of the bearing-plate entering holes in the comb-plate.

My improved guard-plate construction is shown detached in Fig. 7 and as applied to the clipper in Figs. 1 to 6. This guard-plate has the usual guard teeth or lingers 17 and is provided at opposite ends with rigid iianges 1S, projecting upwardly from the end teeth and adapted to bear against the edges of the stationary comb-plate F, so as to hold the guard-plate rigidly in position sidewise of the clipper. Behind the iianges 18 the guardplate is provided with a spring, which in the form shown consists of a plate-spring g, secured to the guard-plate, centrally of the latter, and having its opposite ends provided with upwardly and inwardly turned flanges 7, which overlap the top of the stationary comb-plate A, the spring being so arranged that when the guard-plate is in place upon the stationary comb-plate A the ends of the spring are under tension, tending to pull the guard-plate upward against the stationary comb-plate, so as to hold the guard-plate in IIO '621,673 i e, e

place. Any other suitable form of spring acting in the same manner may be used. The

guard-plate is readily attached to the clipper by forcing the stationary plate under the inturned anges 7 of the spring g and pressing the guard-plate into position on the stationaryplate,the stationary plate pulling the ends of the spring upward as the guard-plate moves into position, andthus securing the pullupon the upper face of the stationary plate A, which holds the guard-plate in position upon the clipper and against accidental displacement or removal therefrom. The guardplate may readily be removed by simply pulling the guard-plate and stationary plate apart, so as to draw the stationary plate rearward and out from under the inturned flanges '7. It will be seen that the guard-plate may be used with clippers having stationary combplates of different thicknesses, the spring being self-adjusting to that end.

The spring gis shown as seated in a longitudinal recess in the guard-plate, so that the body of the spring g lies below the level of the top surface of the teeth 17 and of the rib 19, forming the rear edge of the guard-plate,

and entirely out of the way in moving the guard onto the comb-plate A. It will be understood, however, that this is not necessary, although it is preferred, as placing the spring below the level of the surface over which the stationary'plate A moves when the guardplate is being placed in position upon the clipper and providing in a convenient manner the space desiredfor the movement of the ends of the spring-plate g to secure the desired spring action as the stationary plate A and guard-plate F are forced together and Without recessing the plate A.

In Figs. 9 to ll I have shown a modified construction employing an adj Listing-screw for increasing or decreasing the tension of the spring a and a modified arrangement of the means for holding the handles together. In this construction the arrangement of the handles and spring is the same as in the con'- struction shown in Figs. l to 6 and above described, but the end of the spring ct instead of being carried outside the housing and arranged to be thrown into and out of tension directly by hand is connected within the housing to an adj usting-screw h, tapped through the housing, so that by the action ofthis screw the tension of the spring a may be thrown on or oft for assembling and disassembling and may be adjusted as desired. In this construction the handles are secured together when assembled with the spring a between them by a screw t', which is tapped through the side of the housing D and takes under a flange on the sleeve 12, so that the parts are held together by this screw when it is screwed in so as to engage the flange, and the parts may readily be separated by Withdrawing the screw from engagement with the flange in the same manner as with the construction employing the screw h, as above described. The screws h ft' may be provided with heads of any suitable form, but a very convenient construction is provided, avoiding the use of any tools apart from the clipper for actuating the screws by forming the screws with angular heads or nuts 8 and providing the friction-nut d with an angular recess 9 at its end, so that this nut d may be used to turn the screws h fi forthe adjustment of the spring a and the securing of the handles together and their release.

It will be understood that I am not to be limited to the details of the construction shown as embodying my invention, but that the invention includes many modifications .that may be made in these constructions by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.

What I claim is- 1 I. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a stationary handle separate from the stationary comb-plate and having its body portion provided with a downwardly-extending sleeve, a movable handle having .its body portion journaled on and outside of said sleeve of the stationary handle, anv operating-spring coiled about said sleeve between the stationary handle and the movable handle, and al bolt extending through the sleeve of the stationary handle for holding the handles on the stationary comb-plate, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a stationary handle separate from the stationary comb-plate and having its body portion provided with a downwardly-extending sleeve, a movable handle having an upwardly-extending sleeve journaled on and outside of .said sleeve of the stationary handle, an operatingspring coiled about said sleeves between the stationary handle and the movable handle, and a bolt extending through the sleeve of the stationary handle for holding the handles on the stationary comb-plate, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a stationary handle separate from thestationary comb-plate and having its body portion provided with Va downwardly-extending bearing for the movable handle, a movable handle having its body portion journaled on and outside of said bearing, a coiled operatin g-sprin g located between the stationary handle and the movable handle, and means for holding the handles on the stationary comb-plate, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, ofa stationary handle havingv its body portion provided With a downwardly-extending sleeve -whichforms a bearing for the movable handle, a'movable handle journaled on said bearing, acoiled operating-springlocated between the stationary and movable handles, means IOO IIO

for holding the handles on the stationary comb-plate, and means for holding said handles together when separate from the combplate, substantially as described.r

5. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a stationary handle having its body portion provided with a sleeve which forms a bearing for the movable handle, a movable handle journaled on said bearing, and a pin extending from one handle over a bearing-surface on the other handle to hold the stationary and movable handles together, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a movable handle, a stationary handle, a housing carried by the stationary handle and having a downwardly-extending sleeve forming a bearing for the movable handle, an operatingspring coiled about said sleeve between the movable handle and the housing, means for holding the movable handle on said sleeve, and means for holding said housing on the stationary comb-plate, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a stationary handle, a housing carried bythe stationary handle and having a downwardly-extending sleeve, a movable handle having its body portion provided with an upwardly-extending sleeve journaled on said sleeve of the housing,an operating-spring coiled about said sleeves between the movable handle and the housing, a bolt passing upward through the stationary comb-plate and sleeves and a pressure-nut on said bolt, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a stationary handle, a housing carried by the stationary handle and having a downwardlyextending sleeve, a movable handle having its body portion provided with an upwardlyextending sleeve journaled on said sleeve of the housing, means for holding the handles together, an operating-spring coiled about said sleeves, and a pressure-bolt passing through said sleeve and the stationary combplate, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a movable handle, a stationary handle, a housing carried by the stationary handle, a pressurebolt for securing the housing to the stationary comb-plate and about which the movable handle oscillates, and an operating-spring coiled about said bolt between the housing and the movable handle, said spring having one of its ends bent downward and outward to project from under the rear side of the housing, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a movable handle, a stationary handle, a housing carried by the stationary handle, a pressure-bolt for securing the housing to the stationary comb-plate and about which the movable handle oscillates, an operating-spring coiled about said bolt between the housing andthe movable handle, said spring having one of its ends bent downward and outward to project from under the rear side of the housing, the rear side of the housing being formedv with an opening for said end of the spring having a notch to hold said end of the spring when the spring is under tension, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the stationary handle, housing, and movable handle of a clipper, of a coiled operating-spring between thehousing and movable handle having one of its ends connected to the movable handle and its other end bent downward and outward to project from under the lower edge of the housing, substantially as described.

12. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a pressure-plate having a ball-channel, an antifriction-ball in said channel through which pressure is transmitted to the movable combplate, and a spring ball-retaining plate scoured to the pressure-plate, substantially as described.

13. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a pressure-plate having a ball-channel, an antifriction-ball in said channel through which pressure is transmitted to the movable combplate, and a spring ball-retaining plate secured to the pressure-plate having an opening of less wi'dth than the diameter of the ball, said spring retaining-plate being secured to the pressure-plate at one side only of the ball-channel and under tension to hold the ball in the channel, substantially as described.

lli. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a pressure-plate having two ball-channels 15 in line, antifriction-balls in said channels, and a separate ball-retaining plate 16 secured to the pressure-plate between the channels 15 and free at its ends, substantially as described.A

15. The combination with the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a pressure-plate having two ball-channels 15 in line, antifriction-balls in -said channels, and a spring ball-retaining plate 16 secured to the pressure-plate between the channels 15 and having its ends free and turned up to close the channels 15, substantially as described.

16. The combination vwith the stationary and movable comb-plates of a clipper, of a pressure-plate having two ball-channelsl in line, antifriction-balls in said channels, and a separate ball-retaining plate secured to the pressure-plate, substantially as described.

17. The combination with the stationary comb-plate of a clipper, of a removable guardplate and a spring carried by the guard-plate IOO IIO

and provided with flanges engaging the top of the stationary comb-plate to draw the guard-plate upward against and transversely to the comb-plate, said guard-plate having in its upper face a recess ofv greaterpdepth than the thickness of the spring and ih which the spring is placed, whereby the spring is allowed to yield vertically in saidrecess below the comb-plate, substantially'as described.

18. The combinationwith the stationary comb-plate of aclipper, of aremovable guardplate having end positioning-anges and a spring carried by the guard-plate and having a vertically-yielding spring portion below the comb-plate and engaging the top of v the comb-plate to draw the guard-plate upward against and transversely to the combplate, substantially as described.

19. The combination with the stationary comb-plate of a clipper, of a removable guardplate having end positioning-lian ges and having its upper face recessed longitudinally,

and a spring secured in therecess of theguard-plate and adapted to yield vertically in said recess and having its ends provided with upwardly and inwardly turned anges 7 which engage the ends of the comb-plate to draw the guard--plate upward against the comb-plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 

